Atrocities committed by Assam Rifles personnel upon peaceful women agitators in Manipur
- Kuki Students' Organization, Delhi (KSOD) -

12th September 2011, New Delhi

SHDDC bandh supporter injured on 6th September 2011 evening incident at Kangpokpi and admitted at Community Health Centre, Kangpokpi. - Pix :: Maisnam Romapati Chanu

The Kuki Communities of Delhi and NCR under the banner of Kuki Students' Organisation, Delhi in a strongest term condemned the atrocities committed by the armed personnel of the 43rd Assam Rifles (AR) upon the peaceful women agitators at Kangpokpi on 6 September 2011 and at Keithelmanbi on 9 September 2011. We also urge the state government of Manipur to expedite in declaring Sadar Hills District as earliest as possible.

The people of Sadar Hills have been agitating against the indifferent attitude of Manipur State Government for the declaration of Sadar Hills as a full-fledged District due under the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971 of the Parliament of India. The agitators have been imposing an economic blockade along the NH-39 and NH-53 to put pressure on the state government.

On 6 September 2011 at around 4:30 pm the AR personnel led by their Commanding Officer escorted about 30 commercial trucks along the NH-39 in exchange for money collected from the transporters. This group of AR personnel were known to be the notorious gang of armed thugs in the area. The convoy was stopped by a large group of women agitators at Kangpokpi in keeping with the economic blockade.

In blatant disregards to human rights and the rights of women in particular, and in a brazen violation of their position as the protectors of the people, the AR personnel immediately unleashed unprecedented terror and atrocities upon the agitated women. The unarmed and defenceless women were indiscriminately and mercilessly rifle-butted, stoned, booted, blow on the face, and beaten up with rods by the armed personnel.

As a consequent to this act of barbarism sixty (60) women were seriously injured including broken legs, arms and head injury and so on; twenty (20) of them were in critical condition. They were immediately taken to the nearby Christian Mission Hospital, Kangpokpi. Four (04) of them were later rushed to Regional Institute of Medical Science, Imphal, as their condition becomes deteriorated. This same group of armed thugs later abused, harassed and molested the innocent young girls of Changoubung Village (near Kangpokpi) on their way to Imphal. The victims were now in psychological trauma and physical pain and are taken care of by their families.

Not contented with Kangpokpi incident, the same group of armed personnel, on 9 September 2011, at around 5 pm, again took with them ten (10) commercial trucks toward Imphal.

They were again stopped by the women agitators of Keithelmanbi village. The same act of brutality again went on in the dark of the night. Again the defenceless women were mercilessly beaten up: rifle-butted, stoned, booted, blow on the face, and beaten up with an Iron rods. As a result of the same instrument of barbarism in which fifteen (15) of the women folks were seriously injured. The hapless women were neither permitted first-aid treatment in the hospital nor were the entry of ambulance in the village allowed during the whole night. Five (5) of the critically injured women could be taken to Regional Institute of Medical Science, Imphal only the next day.

You can well imagine the timing in which the thugs usually choose to pass through one hour journey of the agitated district. The choice of darkness was twofold: to perpetrate atrocities upon the women agitators who consistently fought to expose their follies and to concealed their corrupt business contract with the transporters. It is in the light of the above incidents that we demanded the immediate intervention of the centre and state governments (see enclosed memorandum for detail).

We, therefore, appeal to all right thinking people and peace loving citizens, especially those of you in the media to help us give pressure to the governments to bring the culprits to book and punish them accordingly so that such barbaric act of brutality and corruption by the armed personnel may be prevented in the future.

Yours sincerely,

(Lamtinthang Haokip),
President, Kuki Students' Organization, Delhi
e-mail: lamtinthanghaokip(at)gmail(dot)com

See a Gallery Photo on this incident here

Download/Browse the KSOD memo to Hon'ble Home Minister, Government of India - PDF - 71 KB